Kobaldibar Crystalwing
Kobaldibar crystalwings hatch with only small grains of minerals coating their skin, but as they age massive crystals will form around the feathers of their wings, eventually preventing them from flying. What would in other creatures be a serious detriment is no concern to kobaldibar crystalwings; by the time they lose the ability to fly, they have acquired enough toxins in their body to make them one of the most poisonous creatures in the world, and most creatures learn to stay well away from them. The skin of a kobaldibar crystalwing is so potent that any creature that bites them will become deathly ill and usually die within a few hours after their encounter. Despite their toxicity, these crystalwings are actually welcomed in many areas rich in toxic minerals, as the crystalwings will eat or absorb many of the deadly compounds and sequester them away in their bodies. The crystals do not seem to easily come off of the animals or get absorbed into the water they drink, so the crystalwings may even be introduced to places contaminated with heavy metals in order to clean them. Egg This exceptionally heavy egg is brightly colored as if to signal to predators it is poisonous. Hatchling Like many poisonous creatures, kobaldibar crystalwings get their poisons from the food they eat, in particular metallic minerals rich in arsenic, mercury, lead, and other poisonous substances. However, even before they have reached the levels of toxicity of their parents and grown large crystals on their backs, juvenile kobaldibar crystalwings bear bright colors warning potential predators away. Youngsters are covered in a thin layer of small toxic mineral grains as soon as they hatch, but adults will also lick them with their poisonous saliva for added protection. Hatchling kobaldibar crystalwings retain the ability to fly until they reach about half of their adult size, and no one is quite sure why. Some have suggested that the hatchlings are able to fly in order to avoid predators, but they seem to have little fear of other creatures and will readily approach much larger dragons and bears, often frightening them off by their mere appearance. A more plausible explanation may be that they use their flight to keep up with the adults as they migrate along the mountainside, for their legs are short and they tire easily when walking. Adult When fully grown, a kobaldibar crystalwing may be as large as a donkey and vibrantly colored with various pink, red, purple, blue, and silver crystals. They can move surprisingly fast when they want to, but spend most of their time wandering about searching of gems containing deadly heavy metals. They especially relish corderoite and realger, which contribute to the red and tan hues on their bodies. These crystalwings live in small family groups and are generally quite rare, but their poisonous nature means that they have little to fear from predators. Unlike most crystalwings, kobaldibar crystalwings like to spend their time at the surface, especially near the entrances to caves and abandoned mines containing the minerals they like to eat. Unlike other crystalwings, they never shed their gems, and you can roughly gauge the age of a kobaldibar crystalwing by the size of the gems on its back. No one is entirely sure how these creatures manage to eat such toxic substances without feeling ill effects, but observers have reported that they are not only immune to heavy metals, but other toxin substances as well. Young kobaldibar crystalwings have been seen chasing after poisonous toads and insects, and adults will occasionally stop their wandering to graze on mushrooms and plants that are lethal to most forest animals. Additional Information *No. 779 *Obtained from The Stream during Magiversary 2017 *Released: May 10th, 2017 *Sprites: Borealum *Description: PKGriffin *Breeding: Category:2017 Creatures Category:Artist: Borealum Category:Crystalwings Category:Magiversary Category:Special